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The fact that the Asia-Pacific region hosts both the most and least efficient economies in conducting international trade transactions is generally well-known. However, information on the actual implementation of specific trade facilitation reforms in the Asia-Pacific developing economies is generally lacking.

A listing of ESCAP meeting papers and official documents produced by substantive divisions in the year 2012. Wherever possible, in the Document Symbol Index, the document symbols link directly to the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS).

The Asia-Pacific region has been battered in recent years by a relentless series of shocks. Some have been related to natural disasters, such as earthquakes or droughts or floods. Others, such as the 2008 financial crisis, have been caused by convulsions in global markets. Still others, such as rocketing food and energy prices, have been the result of a complex combination of shocks. The traditional approach has been to consider such events individually. This is increasingly unrealistic.

Remarkable growth and structural transformation in a number of developing Asian countries in the period after World War II have earned them the reputation for being “models” of successful development. Among the factors that contributed to their success were macroeconomic and regulatory policies that permitted them to finance that transformation without experiencing high inflation or balance of payments difficulties and ensure that growth was accompanied by human development advance.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been a well-known concept for some time though the interpretation of this concept differs among countries, companies and stakeholders. In many cases, CSR has been abused as a marketing ploy, masking unsustainable practices of companies, in others it has simply constituted a charity event, again, often to mask the negative impacts of companies’ operations. However, the winds of change are blowing, in particular in the wake of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

The Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific is the oldest and most comprehensive annual review of economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific. This flagship publication of ESCAP outlines policies to sustain dynamic growth and to make it inclusive such as boosting internal demand, enhancing connectivity to create a seamless and region-wide market, and building productive capacities in the least developed countries.

Governments of countries and areas in the ESCAP region gathered in Bangkok, Thailand from 10 to 12 September 2012 for the Asia-Pacific Intergovernmental Meeting on the Second Review and Appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing.

Natural resources sectors such as mining, oil, gas, hydro, and forestry plantations are an integral component of most developing economies in the Asia-Pacific region, thereby making them attractive investment sectors for both transnational corporations (TNCs) and state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
Asia Pacific least developed countries attracted less than 1% of FDI inflows to the region, indicating strong growth potential.

This Working Paper presents Asian Single Window background and evolution; a description of what we mean by national versus regional single window; an update on Member States’ National Single Window (NSW) status; an overview of Asian Single Window (ASW) technical, legal aspects; an assessment of institutional and technical aspects of the Asian Single Window work; potential benefits from the crossborder exchange of data using the Asian Single Window; incremental benefits from Asian Single Window; challenges to Asian Single Window implementation; and conclusions.